After viewing Anna Deavere Smith's Fires in the Mirror, I tried to imagine how I would have reacted to the incidents in August of 1991. Both sides of the racial riot have meaningful concerns. I sided with both of them at different points within the play. When African Americans were in rage over the Jewish man's crash and murder of a child riding his bike, I understand exactly why they would have attacked him. Although brutal, he did an unforgiving action- especially if he was driving under the influence. I also sympathize when one the Jewish community members was in shock that Black residents started shouting "bring back the ovens" in the midst of the riots. Mentioning one of the biggest war crimes/ genocides of our existence, with such flippancy, is not appropriate. I know I would be angered over the driver's fatal mistake, but I would not harm anyone to make the situation better. I would tell Ms. Smith of my rage, but I would also tell her that the community needs to resolve this through other means than a riot. Riots are detrimental to the community's infrastructure and dangerous for the community members. Children were in the midst of the violence. This is something that will shape them for the rest of their lives- however I am not qualified to say if this is for the better or worse. Of course how upset I was would be evident in the interview, but I wouldn't be able to blame all Jewish or black people for the crash or the stabbing. A few people don't represent a whole cultural group.
After viewing Anna Deavere Smith's Fires in the Mirror, I tried to imagine how I would have reacted to the incidents in August of 1991. Both sides of the racial riot have meaningful concerns. I sided with both of them at different points within the play. When African Americans were in rage over the Jewish man's crash and murder of a child riding his bike, I understand exactly why they would have attacked him. Although brutal, he did an unforgiving action- especially if he was driving under the influence. I also sympathize when one the Jewish community members was in shock that Black residents started shouting "bring back the ovens" in the midst of the riots. Mentioning one of the biggest war crimes/ genocides of our existence, with such flippancy, is not appropriate. I know I would be angered over the driver's fatal mistake, but I would not harm anyone to make the situation better. I would tell Ms. Smith of my rage, but I would also tell her that the community needs to resolve this through other means than a riot. Riots are detrimental to the community's infrastructure and dangerous for the community members. Children were in the midst of the violence. This is something that will shape them for the rest of their lives- however I am not qualified to say if this is for the better or worse. Of course how upset I was would be evident in the interview, but I wouldn't be able to blame all Jewish or black people for the crash or the stabbing. A few people don't represent a whole cultural group.
Sincerely,
Caitlyn